Portable electric drier



Jan. 14, 1936. c MCCQRD 5: AL 2,027,605

PORTABLE ELECTRIC DRIER Filed Jan. 20, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 14, 1936. A c, MCCORD Er AL PORTABLE ELECTRIC DRIER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 20, 1932 4 a g y wi mwm a N T 2 W l N uwfl Patented Jan. 14, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE ELECTRIC DRIER Application January 20, 1932, Serial No. 587,652

6 Claims.

This invention relates to electrically operated hand and like driers.

The main object of the invention is to provide a relatively small and compact drier unit for portable purposes and for service anwyhere an electric operative current is available.

Another object of the invention is to provide the drier with a support or stand of such a nature that the drier may be hung on a wall or set on a table or other similar underlying support as the user may require.

A further object of the invention is to connect the support with the drier at its center of gravity whereby the drier will remain in any position to which its nozzle is adjusted for use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the drier with means whereby either warmed or cold air may be discharged from the nozzle thereby making it possible to use the drier as a fan or air circulator when heated air is not desired.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear from the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the drier showing it hung on a wall;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the drier supported on a table or other underlying surface;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view with parts in elevation taken longitudinally through the drier;

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device;

Fig. 5 illustrates in perspective a detail 01 construction to be hereinafter described;

Fig. 6 shows the wiring diagram for the switches of the device.

As shown in the drawings, the drier is in the form of a relatively small and compact unit for the purpose of portability and ease of handling.

The drier comprises an air blowing and heating assembly having an air discharge nozzle I connected to and extending outwardly from the fan or blower casing 2 of the assembly at its discharge opening 3. The nozzle 1 is generally conical in shape and is connected at its smaller or inner end with the portion of the casing 2 surrounding the discharge opening 3 as shown in Fig. 3.

The fan or blower of the assembly is located in the casing 2 and is rotated by an electric motor of the small universal type. The motor is arranged at one side of the casing 2 and has its armature shaft extending into the same for direct connection with the blower. The latter, as shown, may be of the bladed or vaned type and is eccentrically disposed in its casing as in centrifugal blowers. For the intake of air, the casing 2 has an opening 6 in one of its side walls, said opening surrounding the axis of rotation of the blower. The discharge for the blower is about the periphery thereof and the discharge opening 3 of the casing 2 is in the outer surrounding wall of the same as shown.

Cylindric housings l, 8 are disposed on opposite sides of the casing 2 and are connected thereto by screws or bolts 9, 9. These housings are similar in size and shape, and give the drier a balanced and symmetrical appearance. Housing 1 encloses the motor 5 and provides a shield and support therefor. Housing 8 contains the main air inlet opening ill for the blower and also serves as a shield and support for the switch mechanism which has two actuators in the form of finger pieces I I, I2. The latter extend through slots l3, M in the outer wall of the housing, one for each actuator. The air inlet opening I0 is preferably covered by a wire mesh screen l5 as shown in Fig. 4.

The heating element 16 of the blower assembly is preferably in the form of a coil of electrical resistance wire located in the nozzle l on the rear side of a shield and air deflector H. The latter is made of porcelain or other electrical insulating material and is supported in the nozzle in inward spaced relation thereto to provide an air discharge passage I8 between the defiector and the surrounding wall of the nozzle. The deflector is supported in the nozzle through a metal disc or plate l9 arranged in front of the deflector and secured thereto by a long bolt or screw 20. Plate H! has its outer edge flanged as at 2| to define the annular discharge orifice for the nozzle. Fastening screws 22, 22 with spacers thereon are provided for connecting the plate at its flange with the nozzle, as shown in Fig. 4.

The support for the drier, whereby it may be supported on either a vertical or a horizontal sur face, comprises a one piece rod 23 bent to provide loops 24, 24 between its ends for engagement over hooks or studs 25, 25 fixed in a wall 26 as shown in Fig. l. The end portions of the rod are bent to provide legs 21, 21 which have a pivotal or trunnion connection with the end walls of the housings 'l, 8, as shown. These end walls are apertured to receive the ends of the rod, as shown in Fig. 3. Lugs 28, 28 are provided on the end walls at these apertures to provide bearings for the rod and also to space the legs 21 suiiiciently outward from the housings to avoid striking the same as the drier and its support are swung or adjusted relatively to each other about the ams as provided by the rod ends. The latter are offset from the center of the housings and are connected thereto at the center of gravity of the drier so that the nozzle will retain its position of adjustment without the necessity of a lock or latch therefor.

The portions 29, 29 of the rod 23 between the legs 21 and the loops 24 are in the general plane of the loops and the midpart 38 of the rod and provide a support for the drier when placed on a wall or on table or other surface 3!, as shown in Fig. 2. The legs 27 extend from either. of these surfaces and support the drier in outward spaced relation thereto to permit turning of the drier to raise or lower its nozzle. Rubber or other cushion sleeves 32, 32 are provided on the portions 29 of the rod to prevent marring or scratching the surface against which the rod is placed and also to hold the drier from moving over such surface when the drier is set thereon, either when accidentally touched or by vibration, if any, when the motor is in operation.

Switch ll controls the furnishing of hot air by the drier while switch l2 controls the discharge of cold air. When switch H is turned on, current is supplied to the motor and to the heating element, and hot air is discharged from the nozzle. When switch 12 is turned on, the current is supplied to the motor but not to the heating element, thus discharging cold air from the nozzle. By this arrangement, the device may be operated either as a drier or as a fan for circulation.

Arranged in the nozzle is a liner 33 having the same general shape as the nozzle. Spacers 34 in the form of ribs on the liner space the same from the adjacent nozzle wall and provide an air flow passage 35 between the liner and the nozzle. The inner end of this passage connects with the discharge opening 3 of the blower and permits the flow of air between the liner and the nozzle to maintain the nozzle relatively cool in the operation of the drier. The liner may be apertured or slotted at its outer edge as at 38 to accommodate the screws 22 and their spacers.

The wiring between the switches and the motor 5 is not shown, but it is to be understood that it will be such as to supply current to the motor and heating element 16 when one switch is turned on, while only to the motor when the other switch is on. The current is supplied through a cable 31 which extends into the housing 3 and is connected to the motor through the switches referred to. The cable is long enough to reach to an outlet socket of a house wiring system and has a. plug 39 at its outer or free end, as shown.

The support for the drier having swingable connection therewith, as through the end walls of the outer casing of the device, permits adjusting the support through 90 degrees for supporting the drier either on a wall or on an underlying surface. Thus the drier may be hung up on a wall or other upright surface, or be placed on a flat horizontal surface and used with equally efllcient results in either of these positions. In either position, the drier may be adjusted in its support to raise or lower thedischarge nozzle as may be desired The drier being relatively small and compact is readily portable and thus adapts itself for servce wherever the user may desire, instead of being cenfined to a fixed location as with driers of the pedestal and wall type as heretofore employed. As shown in the drawings, the blower 4 and the motor 5 are in axial alignment, and the support 23 for the drier is in the form of a relatively light stand having pivotal connection with the drier aoaaeos casing on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the motor and blower. Thus the supporting base of the stand as provided by the end portions 23, loops 24, and connecting portion 30 may be located relatively close to the drier casing. Moreover, with the pivotal axis of the stand eccentric to the axis of rotation of the motor and blower, a greater clearance is .provided I between the plane of the support and the casing when the base is in a plane parallel to the nozzle .10

is shown in Fig.6. As illustrated, switch 'II is o i a the double pole type whereby when the switch is 2 closed current is supplied simultaneously to the motor 5 andheating element I6. The switch I2 is of the single pole type whereby when said switch is closed current is supplied to the motor only. This occurs because the heating element 25 I6 is connected to the line or source of current supply through the switch I I, which is open when switch 12 is closed. The wiring arrangement whereby the switches are connected with each other and with the motor and the heating ele- 30 ment is clearly shown in the diagram, and will be readily understood from an inspection thereof. To use the device as a heater, switch H is closed, current then flowing to the motor 5 through the poles a, a of the switch and to the heating ele- 35 ment l6 through poles b, b. To use the device for blowing unheated air, switch II is opened and switch I2 is closed, cunent then flowing to the motor only through the poles c, c of switch I2.

We claim as our invention: v 40 l. A portable drier comprising an elongated. casing having end portions and an intermediate portion, a rotary blower and a motor located in the mtermediate and one of the end portions of the casing, respectively, said motor being con- 45 nected with the blower for rotating the same, a discharge nozzle for the blower carried by the intermediate portion of the casing and projecting outwardly therefrom in transverse relation to and at one side of the axis of rotation of the 50 blower, and a support for the drier having a base portion and a pair of arms at the opposite ends of the base portion and extending outwardly from one side thereof, said base portion being substantially as long as the drier casing whereby the arms may span the drier casing over the ends of the same, said arms having pivotal connection with the drier casing on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the blower and being substantially equal in length 60 to dispose the base portion in parallel relation to the drier casing.

2. A portable drier comprising an elongated V casing having end portions and an intermediate portion, a. rotary blower and a motor located in 55 the intermediate and one of the end portions of the casing, respectively, said motor being connected with the blower for rotating the same, a discharge nozzle for the blower connected with the intermediate portion of the casing andj'exto tending outwardly therefrom in'transverse reiation to and at one side of the axis of rotation of the blower, and a support for the drier consisting of a rod-like element formed to provide a base having substantially parallel end portions and a mid-portion extending between and connecting the end portions at one end thereof, and a pair of arms connected with the end portions at the opposite ends of the same and extending outwardly therefrom on one side of the base, said base being substantially as long as the drier casing whereby the arms may span the drier casing over the ends of the same, said arms having pivotal connection with the ends of the drier casing and being so angularly arranged to the end portions as to extend them on opposite sides of the drier casing and to dispose the mid-portion on the side of the casing opposite the blower nozzle.

3. In an electrically operated drier of the character described, comprising a rotary blower including an impeller and casing therefor terminating in an outwardly projecting air discharge nozzle, a deflector in the nozzle to provide an annular discharge orifice therefor, an electric heating element located in the nozzle on the rear side of the deflector, and a shield between the heating element and the surrounding wall of the nozzle to maintain the same relatively cool.

4. In an electrically operated drier of the character described, comprising a rotary blower including an impeller and a casing therefor terminating in an outwardly projecting air discharge nozzle, 8. deflector in the nozzle providing an annular discharge orifice therefor, an electric heating element in the nozzle on the rear side of the deflector, and a shield in the nozzle about the heating element in spaced relation to the inner surface of the nozzle to provide a cold air passage from the blower between the nozzle and the shield.

5. A portable drier comprising a rotary blower including an impeller casing eccentric to the axis of rotation thereof and terminating in a substantially tangentially disposed discharge nozzle, a motor for driving the blower, said motor and blower units being connected in axial alignment, a support pivotally connected to the motorblower unit, said support including a base and a pair of opposed arms carried thereby pivotally engaging the motor-blower unit on an axis substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the blower and eccentric to the axis of the impeller casing in a direction and in an amount such that as the support is moved with respect to the motorblower unit to a position in which the plane of the base is substantially parallel'to the discharge nozzle, the motor-blower unit shifts bodily away from such plane to provide clearance for the said nozzle.

6. A portable electric drier comprising a casing, a motor-driven blower housed within the casing with the axes thereof aligned, a blower discharge nozzle carried by the casing and projecting laterally therefrom transversely of and at one side of the axis of rotation of the motorblower unit, a support for the drier pivotally carried by the casing and including a base arranged to be disposed in either a vertical or a horizontal plane to support the drier with the discharge nozzle in horizontal position, the pivotal connection between the support and casing being disposed on an axis substantially parallel to and eccentric of the horizontal axis of the casing whereby a greater clearance between the plane of the support and the casing is provided when the base is in a plane parallel to the nozzle than when it is vertical thereto.

ALVIN C. McCORD. GUY L. TINKHAM. 

